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<p>A poor school spirit? How do we quantify and measure school spirit? Of course, you can make a relativist argument and point out USC’s “Fight On” or Oregon’s enthusiastic fans? Every game I attend at California Memorial Stadium, when students shout “Hey Alumni, GO!” thousands of alumni respond “BEARS!” back and we go back and forth. Chills run down my spine every time I do this because of the immensity of the Cal alumni network. It’s always a pleasure to see Cal alums bring their children back on campus. I myself don’t have the answer that I posed, but I do have anecdotes. A friend of mine graduated from Cal in 2000. He was wearing a Cal shirt while traveling in Spain. As he was about to board a train, someone shouted “GO BEARS” and did the fist pump. </p>
<p>The CAA (California Alumni Association) has continued to make great strides in forging a stronger network for its students, allowing seniors to become CAA members during their last year for free to access a professional alumni equivalent of Facebook (sans News Feed, relationship status, etc.). Of course, USC’s alumni network continues to be the model for all, but that does not mean Cal young alums are shut out from opportunities. Cal alums open their offices to externships and internships for students. For example, Betty Yee has opened up her office to Cal students interested in fiscal public policy and politics in general.</p>
<p>We can quantify alumni support in money, but we also see that alumni support and school spirit go beyond greenbacks.</p>